HAPPY NEW YEAR, EARLY

I'd like to wish everyone a Happy New Year a little early. Hope 2008 is the best one yet for everyone.

I have grandchildren Kyleigh and Jaeger coming over this afternoon, and spending the night tonight. Kristen and Jeff are having a party tonight, so the John and I and the kids get to have our own fun.

I also wanted to post my progress on the Winter Quilt Swap.

I have been appliquing the past couple of days, and last night I started quilting it. My recipient wanted a primitive Christmas quilt, and I had this pattern by Jan Patek for Father Christmas. I had to modify it a bit to make it work for the size requirements for this swap. I have had fun digging through my cupboard of homespuns again, and working on this while watching TV. I think when I finish this one, I need to start one for myself.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

May you all have a wonderful holiday, and the best in the coming year.




















I finished up 1 last Pollage yesterday, this one with a fairy theme for my daughter Kristen.

Katie by the way loved the frogs.

Santa's Sweat Shop Continued

The last few days I have had a chance to make a few more gifts for the kids. They love these sweatshirts and T-shirts so much, and my sweatshirts are all that Jaeger likes to wear. This is for Kyleigh, I have had the shirt since her BD in August but had not gotten a chance to embroider it until now.







And this is for Keaton.








And for Jaeger.









For Kyleigh's sweatshirt I decided to sit down and do some silk ribbon embroidery.








And last but not least, I made this Pollage for Katie, who has always liked frogs.

MORE GIFTS

I recently took a class on Joggles.com called Pollage, the instructor was Patricia Dibona. I involves painting background on canvas and adding photos, lace, charms to create a piece of art. I made this for my sister as a Christmas gift. I hope she likes it. I have 2 others I hope to get done, but probably not until after Christmas. But at least I can get this in the mail to Southern California tomorrow. I have done a lot of collage pieces, and the idea of this class really appealed to me, with painting the background.











I cross-stitched these little elf legs for my girls and made them into ornaments. This was again from the wXSw yahoo group, with stitch designer, Helga of Helga Mandl Designs.

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER, SANTA'S WORKSHOP

Three years ago, my friend Moira gave a group of us a link where we could purchase these laser cut nativity scenes. All you had to do was iron them on a batik fabric. I purchased 3 of them, 1 for myself, and 1 for daughters Katie and Kristen. That year, I did not have time to get them done, so I put the patterns in gift baggies for the girls. Forgetting I did that, last year, I ironed them onto batik fabric, but still did not have time to complete them, again put them in gift baggies for the girls. This afternoon, I finally finished up the project, and plan to give them to the girls tomorrow at Jaeger's birthday at the ice cream parlor, so they can get a chance to hang them this year. I say, better late than never!


Karrin's branch of Santa's workshop has been busy also on gifts for the boys: I purchased sweatshirts and embroidered some motifs on with my embroidery machine:

This is for Keaton



















This is for Jaeger

A LITTLE BIT MORE DONE

I have been working a bit more on my Encrusted CQ block for Sharon B's class. I added the gold bullion flowers along the left hand side, and I also beaded the lace flowers in the same area.

Meanwhile am working on a secret CQ block for one of my daughters at the same time.

Also after reading Charlene's blog this morning, I joined the wXSw yahoo group, and had also seen Susan make mention of it. A wonderful cross stitch designer, Helga of Helga Mandl Designs hosts this group and has stitch alongs! She has the cutest little ornaments. I started one this afternoon and am 2/3 through already.

Take It Further Challenge

Sharon B has posted her 2008 Take It Further Challenge: http://sharonb.wordpress.com/take-it-further-challenge/

Also have been working a bit on my block for her Encrusted Crazy Quilting class. I think I have taken off and unstitched more than you see here, but am still working on it. I was trying to get the spider web roses finished last night above the green lace, when Kyleigh and Jaeger called from Disneyland, the night before their trip back home. Jaeger kept telling me he had seen the "REAL Captain Jack" (From Pirates of the Caribbean). Can't wait to see them again.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Hope those that celebrate Thanksgiving had a wonderful one. Now that it is over, I can get back to stitching today, hopefully.

CQ RR

I'm working on a CQ RR with a group of friends,
Moira, Susan, Fran and Gail.

This is Moira's block, sideways. She sent us 2 of these strips, and a smaller block and we got to choose which what we wanted to work on.

Fran had already done some beading around the flow, and placed the lady bug, and did some ferny stitching up in the left hand corner,and put a piece of braid on this one.



I decided to finish this piece up. I made a cast on flower for the first time with some bead leaf buttons. Right beside that, I did a double herringbone stitch. On the other side I did a seam with feather stitch. And the scrolly red block, I stitched the scrolls following the pattern on the fabric. I also did a scallop seam beside that. Am getting this in the mail today for Gail who has another whole strip to work on. I loved the Moira's blocks this was really fun to work on.

Busy, Busy, Busy

I am in several round robins and this week, have been trying to get my blocks out. I am in a 15-month round robin with 14 other ladies, and this was my starting block I sent out for my nautical/seaside theme.













Also, I am taking Sharon Boggan's Encrusted Crazy Quilting class, and this is my block I constructed.

New Handbag

After I finished my last wooly flower project, my hands were anxious to start another wool project. I have had this McCalls handbag pattern for a few years, and I decided this was the perfect project to do before I got into Christmas projects.

The handbag is an overdyed blue wool, with wool flowers. I had the perfect handles I had painted the same red as the flowers. I went to put them on, and they were too big, 12" instead of the 7" I needed. So had to go find some other ones the right size. I guess I will have to make another bag to fit those handles now!

Jan's block

Nancy, NP asked what the words on this block said.

It says:
Grand Master
Flor de Washington
Reknown
Reina Perfecta
Extra Fina
Owl
Blue Gap

I am not sure whether these were cigars or what.

Surpise, Project Finished

Last week, I received a wonderful surprise gift from my friend Ms. Jan. It is a CQ block, it looks like it is all 1 piece of fabric, but has lovely feather stitches around each of these words. She said she got 2 of these about 10 years ago, and has 1 framed, and has given me the second one. This was the best part of my week, this wonderful surprise.











I have been trying to get things going for Christmas gifts. I remembered, in 2003, in Sisters, Oregon, I took a class with Margaret Peters, a cute little wool Santa wallhanging project. I meant to finish it last year for my sister, but didn't get to it. I remembered it again last week, and pulled it out, and discovered I was about 3/4 done. So I finished it up tonight. It is OK for me to show it here, my sister doesn't have a computer and she will never see this.

I have received a MEME tag! I am it!

Thursday, October 18, 2007

I have received a MEME tag! I am it!

Well I got tagged by Carole of Wippy's Place http://wippysplace.blogspot.com

Here are the rules which you must abide by if you are tagged.

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself: some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).

4. Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.

Ok here is My MeMe

1. I am married to the love of my life, for almost 32 years, and we have 2 daughters and 3
grandchildren.
2. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the ocean, and all things to do with it.
3. I Love to read, and could be called a book slut.
4. I love seafood, fresh bread, salads and soups.
5. I love crazy quilting, quilting, embroidering, crocheting, knitting.
6. I love to create with paper, stamps, paint.
7. I love to sail, and travel.

now my list of 7 to tag..

Gail: http://galynn-bhmc.blogspot.com
Candi: http://candiseyecandy.blogspot.com
Fran: http://sewfrantastic.blogspot.com
Susan: http://cq4fun.livejournal.com
Nancy: http://nancynearphiladelphia.blogspot.com
Jan: http://msjanquilts.blogspot.com
Sharon: http://www.quiltgranny.blogspot.com

FRAN'S BLOCK

Since my last post, I have been cruising from Vancouver to San Diego, visited MIL in San Diego, and gotten home again and back to work.

Yesterday, had a wonderful visit with Susan Nixon, Fran Regos and Candi Harris.

This is a garden round robin I am in with Susan, Fran, Moira, and Gail and this is Fran's block.

This is actually the second round on this block, and the first round, I had done the fence embroidery, the tree above it, and there is a ribbon seam between them.


This round I did the seam below Susan's spider web, and a hard to see wreath beside it.

I was able to show the girls this block yesterday, before I mail it off to Gail today. The girls' visit yesterday was the highlight that topped off my birthday week!

Moira's block, RR Vest

This was Moira's block I recently finished. I added a feather stitch on the left side of the kitty on the purple strip, and on the gold/orange strip I added a 2-color I think cretan. Both of these seams were done using the Sassa Lynne thread Susan Nixon has been getting.















In 1998, I was in a vest RR with a group of ladies, and this was my ocean vest I pieced. I still get compliments when I wear it. The ladies that worked on my vest fronts did such a good job.

We are getting ready to take off for a short cruise and I am taking this with me.

Susan's Garden RR block

This weekend, I finished up my second round with Susan's Garden RR block. The first round I had added the feather stitch and pearls going up the side of the block, and some hand-dyed floral lace right beside it.

This round, I found some nifty leaves at a scrapbook shop and added that, and made some Mokuba ribbon flowers. I also added some scallops above the picture, but they are hard to see.







Susan wanted to know what the inside of my jewelry roll looked like, and it is really simple,just pockets but it looks like this:

Jewelry Roll

A number of years ago, I participated in a bluework round robin and this was my block. Some time later, I was getting ready to go on a cruise, and wanted to make a jewelry roll so that my necklaces and everything would not get tangled up. This was the way it looked on the outside. The other side has a number of pockets I can put my jewelry in, then roll it up and it has ties.

A year or so later, I was in another round robin, in which you sent a baggie of items, and the person you sent to had to make a usable item for you and send it back. I made my baggie person a jewelry roll and she love it.

Kyleigh's New Bag

Last year, or the year before I was in an ocean round robin and this was my completed block. Kyleigh, my granddaughter absolutely loved the block. Her birthday was August 17, and for her birthday I incorporated the block into this tote bag, and she was thrilled. The next night, she had a sleepover and decided to carry her jammies in the bag.

KYLEIGH IN HER VEST

I finally got a chance to take a picture of Kyleigh in her vest
this past weekend. She loves it, as I knew she would.

I am busy working on a CQ entry for the fair, which I have a month to complete, and really can't share that at this time.

KYLEIGH'S VEST FINISHED!

I have been working really hard to get Kyleigh's vest finished the past couple of weeks. I wanted her to get a chance to wear it before school ended, as her class is The Dolphins.













This is the back, I know it is busy, but just what this
6-year-old likes.









This is a little more detail of the left and right sides of the vest. I found some cute buttons at a bead shop, it is sort of hard to see but the jumping fish on the left side in the seaweed is one, and the "Nemo" fish on the other vest side is one.

A COUPLE OF PROJECTS

I have been sort of side-tracked the last month, with the death of an aunt, out of town visitors for 2 weeks, and some house projects.

I also finished quilting a project for my granddaughter Kyleigh's teacher. Her class is called the Dolphins. So I put together a quilt for her teacher. I am waiting for Kyleigh's illustration for the label, and then I will post that picture too.

I have been busy working on a couple of CQ projects. This is 1/2 of Kyleigh's vest. Part of it is hard to see. I know this cotton vest will be washed so I have been cautious on the threads and things I am doing, on this vest for an active 6-year old. I think I will do some beading, too, but have not gotten to that. Kyleigh picked out some charms she would like me to use, but have not added those yet either. Kyleigh as I do love whales, and so I added the whale tale on this side.











I am also in a Garden RR with 3 friends, Susan Nixon, Fran Regos and Moira McSpadden, and this is Susan's block. I added the hand-dyed flower lace, and the beaded feather stitch going up the right side.

Kyleigh's Vest

My 6-year-old granddaughter has long been fascinated by ocean life, whales and dolphins. I had planned to get this finished by Christmas, but life got in the way, plus she wanted me to make her teacher a dolphin quilt to hang in the classroom (still waiting to be quilted).

I don't know how much embellishing will be done on this, as it will be washed, but I do plan to do some. I know it is busy, but these are the fabrics she loves. I have some really neat fabric for the back and lining, which I will show when I finish it.

So this will be my next hand project.

More On Bev's Antique

Thought I would add a bit more on Bev's antique crazy as I had a few questions. The center was not painted but embroidered. The leaves were a beautiful satin stitch and the flowers were of a folded ribbon type, so they were 3-D.

BEV'S ANTIQUE CRAZY

In the fall of 2003 we had dinner with some of our former sailing club friends, Bev and Chuck, and Reggie. During the course of Bev and I, and Reggie, another quilter talking, Bev showed us an antique crazy quilt that had been in her family for quite some time. It was in pretty good shape, with exquisite stitching. Here it is laid out on our pool table and it was hard to get a good picture. The problem with it was, that the backing was taffeta and it was in tatters. Bev, knowing that I crazy quilted, asked who she could find to repair it.

I offered to put on a new backing after the first of the year, and took it home. Bev said there was no hurry. After the first of the year, we got involved in moving my sewing room, having the popcorn texture taken off the ceiling and repainted, and painting the halls and front room. So I really didn't get started on replacing the backing, and repairing isolated stitches on the front until later in 2004/2005. The trouble with part of the stitches was that the thread that was disintegrating seemed to be made out of wool. I finished in April of 2005, and Bev was thrilled with the results. She had wanted to be able to hang it, as I added a hanging sleeve on the back, but I advised her not doing so, as I thought the weight might start pulling at other stitches causing them to disintegrate.

She had written up a little history of the quilt as she knew it. What she found inside the quilt when the backing started disintegrating was that it was lined with newspaper, and there was a date on one of the pieces, I think from 1869 or 1870. I typed up her little history and added it in a label to new backing, along with a swatch of the original taffeta. I had this interesting history on my computer until probably about 6 months ago, and I can't find it now, or I would include it here.

What I recall is that she inherited the quilt from her mother's half-sister. They lived in Texas, and her aunt was a school teacher. She went on a tour in Europe and met a older gentleman who actually lived in the eastern U.S. They got back home, and he started writing Bev's aunt, and they ended up getting married. He did not that long after they were married, but the quilt was from one of his relatives, and Bev's aunt inherited it.

I started thinking about Bev, and this quilt in February, when Chuck sent us a delayed Christmas letter stating that Bev had passed away at the age of 81. I am still shocked, and saddened by losing this great lady, who was always so fun and interesting to be around. Bev and Chuck have 5 daughters, and I am sure eventually this quilt will go to one of their homes and it will be treasured still.



The following are some of the details on this exquisite quilt.